WOMEN'S LACROSSE TERMS:

Clear: Any action taken by a player within the goal circle to pass or carry the ball out of the goal circle.

Critical Scoring Area: An area 15 meters in front of and to each side of the goal and nine meters behind the goal. An eight-meter arc and 12 meter fan are marked in the area.

Crosse (Stick): The equipment used to throw, catch, check and carry the ball.

Crosse Checking: Stick to stick contact consisting of a series of controlled taps in an attempt to dislodge the ball from the crosse.

Deputy: A player who enters the goal circle when the goalie is out of the goal circle and her team is in possession of the ball.

Draw: A technique to start or resume play by which a ball is placed in between the sticks of two standing players and drawn up and away.

Eight-Meter Arc: A semi-circular area in front of the goal used for the administration of major fouls. A defender may not remain in this area for more than three seconds unless she is within a stick's length of her opponent.

Free Position: An opportunity awarded to the offense when a major or minor foul is committed by the defense. All players must move four meters away from the player with the ball. When the whistle sounds to resume play, the player may run, pass or shoot the ball.

Free Space To Goal: A cone-shaped path extending from each side of the goal circle to the attack player with the ball. A defense player may not, for safety reasons, stand alone in this area without closely marking an opponent.

Goal Circle: The circle around the goal with a radius of 2.6 meters (8.5 feet). No player's stick or body may “break” the cylinder of the goal circle.

Grounded: Refers to any part of the goalkeeper's or deputy's body touching the ground for support outside of the goal circle when she attempts to play the ball from inside the goal circle.

Indirect Free Position: An opportunity awarded to the offense when a minor foul is committed by the defense inside the 12 meter fan. When the whistle sounds to resume play, the player may run or pass, but may not shoot until a defender or one of her teammates has played the ball.

Marking: Being within a stick's length of an opponent.

Penalty Lane: The path to the goal that is cleared when a free position is awarded to the attacking team.

Scoring Play: A continuous effort by the attacking team to move the ball toward the goal and to complete a shot on goal.

Stand: All players, except the goalkeeper in her goal circle, must remain stationary following the sound of any whistle.

Sphere: An imaginary area, approximately 18 cm (seven inches) which surrounds a player's head. No stick checks toward the head are allowed to break the sphere.

12 Meter Fan: A semi-circle in front of the goal used for the administration of minor fouls.

Warning Cards: A yellow card presented by an umpire to a player is a warning which indicates that she will next receive a red card and be suspended from further participation if she continues to play dangerously and/or conduct herself in an unsportsmanlike manner. A green card is presented by an umpire to the team captain indicating a team caution for delay of game.


MENS LACROSSE TERMS: 

Clamping:  On the face-off, a player pushes the back of his stick down on the ball in the attempt to gain control of it.

Clearing:  An important defensive maneuver where defending players run or pass the ball out of their goal area. Clearing is best done along the sidelines, away from the front of the goal.

Cradling: - In order to maintain control of the ball when moving along the field, players turn their wrists and arms to cradle the ball in the stick pocket.

Crease:  The eighteen-foot diameter circle surrounding each team’s goal.

Cutting:  An attacking player without the ball darts around a defender toward the goal in order to receive a “feed pass.”

Extra Man (or Man Up): Describes the team at a player advantage in a penalty situation. Opposite of man down.

Face-off: Takes place at the start of each quarter, after every goal, and after certain dead balls. Two opposing players crouch down at midfield, hold their sticks flat on the ground and press the backs of their stick pockets together. The ball is then placed between the pockets and, when signaled to start, the players “rake” or clamp on the ball to vie for control.

Face Dodging: A player with the ball cradles the stick across his face in an attempt to dodge a stick-poking defender.

Fast Break: When an offensive team quickly mounts a scoring attack enabling them to gain a man advantage over the opposing defense. Usually a four on three.

Feed Pass:  An offensive play in which one player passes the ball to a cutting teammate for a shot on goal.

Man Down:  Describes the team which has lost a player to the penalty box and must play with fewer men on the field.

Man-to-man  A defensive setup in which each defending player guards a specific offensive opponent.

Out-of-bounds  When a shot goes out of play, the player closest to the sideline where the ball went out gets the ball.

Passing: An integral part to quickly moving the ball. Players throw overhand, underhand, or sidearm to each other.

Pick:  An offensive player without the ball positions himself against the body of a defender to allow a teammate to get open and receive a pass or take a shot.

Pocket: The head of the stick in which the ball is held and carried. The pocket is strung with leather and/or mesh netting.

Quick Stick:  When the ball reaches an offensive player’s stick on a feed pass, he catches it and then shoots it toward the goal in one swift motion "no cradle shot".

Raking:  A face-off move by a player who, in trying to gain possession of the ball, sweeps it away from his opponent.

Riding : When an attacking team loses possession of the ball, it must quickly revert to playing defense in order to prevent the ball from being cleared back out.

Roll Dodge:  An offensive move in which a ballcarrier, using his body as a shield between a defensive player and the cradled ball, spins around the defender.

Scooping : The manner in which a player picks up loose ground balls. He bends toward the ground, slides the pocket of his stick underneath the ball, and lifts it into the netting of the stick.

Screen : An attacking player without possession of the ball positions himself in front of the opposing goal crease in an effort to block the goalkeeper’s view.

Slide: When an offensive player with the ball has gotten past his defender, a defending teammate will shift his position to pick up that advancing player.